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Panthers vs. Falcons Predictions, Picks & Odds Week 1: Falcons Welcome Young to NFL

Philip Wood

Last Updated: September 10, 2023 12:39 PM EDT • 3 min 17 sec read.

Bijan Robinson of the Atlanta Falcons reacts at the conclusion of a preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and we offer our top odds and predictions for Panthers vs. Falcons in Week 1.
Bijan Robinson of the Atlanta Falcons reacts at the conclusion of a preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images via AFP.

The Atlanta Falcons are favored by more than a field goal over the Carolina Panthers in their season opener. Check out our best Panthers vs. Falcons predictions based on the best NFL odds.

No team in the NFC South finished above .500 last season, and with Tom Brady's departure, the division is now wide open. Both the Panthers and the Falcons ended the year with a 7-10 record, with the latter achieving a 6-3 record at home and the former managing just 2-6 on the road.

There is a lot of buzz around this Falcons team after it drafted Bijan Robinson. Atlanta has a plethora of young talent on the offensive side of the ball.

But Panthers fans also have reason to be excited about their future. Bryce Young will get his first NFL start, and he has plenty of weapons at his disposal.

So, which team has the advantage on Sunday?

Here is our best Panthers vs. Falcons prediction (odds via our best NFL betting sites; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).

Panthers vs. Falcons prediction

Falcons -3.5 (-110 via BetMGM) ⭐⭐⭐

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The Falcons lost 10 games last season, but eight of them were by one possession. After Desmond Ridder took over as the starting quarterback, the team went 2-2 to finish out the season. While Ridder had a bad first game, he started to find his groove down the stretch, throwing for more than 200 yards in two of his final three contests.

Ridder’s experience will take a back seat to a rushing attack that could prove to be the best in the NFL. The rookie Robinson has incredibly high expectations, as he has been a consistent first-round draft pick in fantasy drafts. But the hype makes sense considering he is the lead back on a team that had the third-most rushing yards in the NFL in 2022.

While the Falcons' offense should click right away, the same cannot be said of the Panthers. Young helms a unit that averaged just 20.4 points per game last season, and despite all the new talent the Panthers brought in around him, there is almost certainly going to be a learning curve for the young quarterback.

We’d be much more confident in this bet if it was below the key number. However, the Falcons could blow this one open early and drain the clock with their rushing attack. That will force Young to make numerous mistakes as he plays catch-up, which bodes well for Atlanta exiting 1-0 both straight-up and against the spread.

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Panthers vs. Falcons best odds

BetMGM (-110)

DraftKings FanDuel BetMGM Caesars bet365
-3.5 -3.5 -3.5 -3.5 -3.5
-112 -110 -110 -110 -110

All five of our best sports betting apps are offering the same spread for this game. The only one of our best sports betting sites that's offering a price other than -110 is DraftKings, at which the odds are -112.

Therefore, don’t place your wager at DraftKings, but any of FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars, or bet365 offer good value. With each sportsbook offering the same total, there is no parlay benefit at any of them, either.

Get the best odds for Panthers vs. Falcons with our BetMGM bonus code, and use code SBRBONUS!

Panthers vs. Falcons odds

Panthers vs. Falcons odds analysis

Roughly 72% of wagers back the Falcons to cover the spread in Week 1. Despite this overwhelming support, the spread has not moved at all since opening at 3.5. It doesn’t seem like it’s going to move as kickoff approaches, but if it does, we expect it to shift in favor of the Falcons. That being said, we’d be surprised if it ended any higher than 4.

As for the total, the number opened at 39.5, and it has not moved. Bettors slightly favor the Under, with 54% of wagers expecting a low-scoring game. Even with the Panthers starting an inexperienced quarterback, this number is too low for us to take the Under. With it already being in the 30s, it’s unlikely it will drop much no matter how much support the Under obtains.

Panthers vs. Falcons game info

  • When: Sunday, Sept. 10 at 1:00 p.m. ET
  • Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA
  • How to watch: Fox
  • Weather: Indoors

Panthers vs. Falcons prediction made Thursday, Sept. 7 at 8:13 a.m. ET

NFL betting odds pages

Super Bowl OddsNFL Defensive Rookie of the Year OddsNFL Sacks Leader Odds
NFL MVP OddsNFL Comeback Player of the Year OddsNFL Best Record Odds
NFL Offensive Player of the Year OddsNFL Most Regular Season Passing Yards OddsNFL Worst Record Odds
NFL Defensive Player of the Year OddsNFL Most Regular Season Rushing Yards OddsNFL Win Totals Odds
NFL Coach of the Year OddsNFL Most Regular Season Receiving Yards OddsNFL Draft Odds
NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Odds

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Written By:
Philip Wood
Phil is a Sports Betting Analyst for Sportsbook Review and BettingPros.com, specializing in NFL and college football. He previously covered college football and college basketball for CanesInsight.com, where he also hosted the College Football Pick 'Em podcast. Phil is always looking for value, especially on lines that just seem too good to be true. His belief is if a line doesn't make sense, just assume that Vegas knows something you don't. An alumnus of The U, Phil always holds out hope that the next head coach will be the one who turns the football program around. Some would call him a frontrunner for his love of the Yankees and the Celtics, but he's also a diehard Detroit Lions fan and will never forgive the refs for the blown pass interference call against the Cowboys in 2015.